Method of constructing houses



Feb. l0, 1970 M A 1URTURR0 ETAL 3,494,091

METHOD F CONSTRUCTING HOUSES Filed Feb. 4, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 1o, 1970 M A, TURTURRO ET AL f 3,494,091 l METHOD. OF CONSTRUCTING HOUSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 4. 1966 3,494,091 METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING HOUSES Michael A. Turturro, Louis A. Turturro, Jr., and Robert H. Turturro, all of 1428 N. Havenhurst Drive, West Los Angeles, Calif. 90046 Filed Feb. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 538,528 Int. Cl. E04g 21/00, 27/00 U.S. Cl. 52-745 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of building houses with preconstructed or prefabricated housing units by transferring the housing units to a foundation from a self-contained tractor-trailer having mounted thereon means to lift the preconstructed housing unit from the trailer bed onto the house foundation.

This is a continuation-impart of our co-pending applications 172,250 led on Feb. 9, 1962; 172,279 led on Feb. 9, 1962; and 283,170 filed on May 27, 1963 which now have the respective U.S. Patent Nos. 3,233,768; 3,233,759; and 3,236,400.

A prefabricated or preconstructed house unit may be manufactured with complete wiring, plumbing and other equipment and is preferably manufactured indoors at a factory site.

Presently, preconstruction house units are transported from the factory to the building site by ordinary low bed trailers and are unloaded and loaded from the low bed trailers by boom cranes and similar loading means. Other methods of locating the house unit onto the house foundation have also been attempted but they do not provide the beneficial aspects of the present invention.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of locating a preconstructed house unit onto a house foundation from a tractor trailer.

It is still further another object of the present invention to provide a method of locating a Prefabricated house unit onto a foundation by positioning a tractor trailer adjacent and spaced from an outer wall of the foundation, supporting the prefabricated unit on the trailer and above the house foundation, moving the unit over the foundation, and then lowering the unit onto the foundation.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method of locating a house unit on a foundation by supporting the unit on a movable carriage on the trailer and said movable carriage being movably mounted on extendible means connected to the trailer, raising said unit above the house foundation by lift means connected to said carriage, extending said extension means over the foundation, and moving said unit and said carriage means over the foundation, lowering said unit onto the foundation and then detaching said unit from said carriage.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a method for constructing houses with preconstructed or prefabricated house units using a self-contained trailer bed which can both carry and unload the preconstructed house units onto a foundation.

The invention allows the building of houses with preconstructed house units using a minimum of equipment at the construction site. Generally the preconstructed house units are placed on the trailer bed at the factory and delivered to the housing site where a house foundation has already been constructed. The trailer bed is so constructed that it contains means to lift the housing unit off the trailer bed and onto the foundation.

* United States Patent O ICC Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the same.

On the drawings:

FIGURE l is a schematic side view of a house unit tractor trailer locating a house unit on a foundation in accordance with the method of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic side view of another house unit tractor trailer locating a house unit on a foundation in accordance with the method of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a schematic perspective view of another house unit tractor trailer locating a house unit on a foundation in accordance with the method of the present invention positioned adjacent a house foundation in unloading position.

As shown on the drawings, the method of the present invention allows locating preconstructed house units on a house foundation with relative ease and thus making the erection of a sectional house feasible in a matter of hours. The house unit tractor trailer is of such a size and weight that the trailer is Well adapted for use on the highways. The trailer is preferably constructed of lightweight heavy duty metal and the details of the tractor trailers are described in more detail in our copending allowed U.S. applications 172,250, now Patent No. 3,233,768, and 283,170, now Patent No. 3,236,400, led Feb. 9, 1962, and May 27, 1963, respectively.

Referring to FIGURE 1 there is illustrated the rear view of a house unit tractor trailer 111 having a trailer bed 112 having a pair of boom lifts 113 mounted on each end of the bed and extending upwardly therefrom. The boom lifts 113 have mounted on the tops thereof eXtendible guide track arms 11-4. Supporting arms 115 are interconnected and attached between the track arms and the lifts in order to support the track arms on a substantially horizontal plane. The track arm has a primary portion 116 and an extendible portion 117. Mounted between and movably connected to the track arms is a carriage 118 for carrying a preconstructed house unit 119 over a foundation 120 in position to be lowered onto the foundation as shown by 119', and the carriage to be disengaged from the bottom of the house unit at 118.

The tractor trailer has mounted on the four corners of the trailer bed jacks which are used to stabilize and level the trailer while it is locating the house unit 119 onto the foundation 120.

The carriage 118 is connected at each end thereof to the guide tracks 114. The carriage is movably attached to the guide tracks so that it may be actuated by suitable means to move therealong. The guide tracks may have additional supports at the end of the extendible arm 117 to maintain the guide tracks in a substantially horizontal position, if such is desired. The carriage is illustrated as being used to support the house unit 119 on top thereof. However, it is of course understood that the carriage may be utilized in a manner similar to that illustrated hereinafter in FIGURE 3. That is, by suitable attaching means carrying the house unit 119 below rather than on top of it.

In accordance with the present invention in the method of constructing a house, the tractor trailer 111 parks alongside the foundation 120 and is substantially parallel to and spaced from an outer Wall thereof. The house unit is placed into position to be moved over the foundation by rst stabilizing the trailer and then raising the house unit above the foundation. The house unit is raised by raising the lifts 113. Also, since the tracks are attached to the lifts they and the carriage are raised a predetermined level above the house foundation. Then extendible track arms are extended into position over the foundation. Suitable motor means are then energized and the carriage is moved into position over the house foundation. Then the house unit is lowered until the house rests on the foundation and then the carriage is disengaged from the house unit and returned to its position over the trailer bed. In this instance the house unit is lowered onto the foundation by lowering the lifts 113 and the carriage is lowered to disengage its support surface from the house and then slide from beneath the house through accommodating slots in the foundation.

Referring to FIGURE 2 there is illustrated another house unit tractor trailer 121 for performing the method of the present invention. The trailer has a trailer bed 122 with levelizing jacks on its four corners and a goose neck 123 thereon. Each end of the trailer bed has a guide track 133 formed by stationary guide tracks formed in each end and extendible guide track arms 136 attached to each end. The tracks 136 form a coextensive track with the track formed by the trailer ends.

The guide track has movably attached thereto elevator lifts 134. The elevator lifts 134 are movably mounted on each end of the trailer and have attached therebetween a carriage 137. The carriage 137 is illustrated as supporting a house unit 125 on the upper surface thereof. However, it is of course understood that the house unit may be supported below the carriage by suitable means such as illustrated in FIGURE 3.

The carriage 137 is raised and lowered by raising and lowering the lifts 134 and the lifts are moved along the guide track 133 by suitable means and in this manner the carriage may be suitably located over the house foundation 126.

In constructing a house in accordance with the present invention, the trailer 121 is suitably located parallel to one side of the foundation 126 and spaced from the outer wall thereof. The trailer is stabilized by the levelizing jacks and the tracks 136 are extended such that they are parallel to the ends of the foundation and spaced outwardly therefrom. The tracks have on the ends thereof a stabilizing jack 127 to maintain them in a relatively horizontal position. Although the track is shown as only extending half the width of the foundation, it is of course understood that it may extend the entire width if such is desired. The tracks 136 may be retractably mounted within the ends of the trailer bed or may be pivotally mounted thereto.

When the tracks 136 are in position the lifts 134 are raised such that the house unit 125 is raised above the level of the foundation 126. Then suitable motor means are energized to move the lifts along the tracks into position such that the carriage and house unit are located over the foundation 126. The house unit is lowered into position 125 onto the foundation 126 and the carriage 137 is then disengaged from the house unit by lowering it to a position 137 and then sliding it out from beneath the house unit by suitable grooves formed in the foundation 126.

Referring to FIGURE 3 there is illustrated a preconstructed house unit wheel mounted trailer having a gooseneck or hitch at the forward end thereof, for suitably connecting the trailer to a truck cab or tractor and a trailer bed having suitable rear axles and rear wheels.

The trailer bed has connected to its rear end a pair of spaced upwardly extending hydraulic lifts 16 and to its front end a pair of spaced upwardly extending hydraulic lifts 17. The hydraulic lifts are mounted substantially near the corners of the trailer bed. Both the rear and front pair of hydraulic lifts 16 and 17 have cross-structural supports 18 which lend structural strength and support to hydraulic lifts.

Each pair of hydraulic lifts 16 and 17 have the portion thereof facing outwardly from the trailer bed, covered with a sheet 19 of light metal Such as aluminum. The

sheet 19 allows the truck to have the appearance of an enclosed trailer. It is of course understood that each pair of hydraulic lifts may be entirely covered if desired.

The front and rear hydraulic lifts have pistons that are raised and lowered therein and connected across the tops of the rear pistons is a rear I-guide rail track 22 and connected across the tops of the front piston is a front I-guide rail track 23.

The guide tracks 22 and 23 have respective central stationary portions 24 and 25 that are connected to tops of their respective hydraulic lift pistons respective pivotal forward unloading arm portions 26 and 27 pivotally mounted to one end of the stationary portion and used to guide the house unit over the house foundation; and respective pivotal back loading arm portions 28 and 29 (FIGURE 3) pivotally mounted to the other end of the stationary portion and used to guide the house unit onto the trailer.

The forward tra-ck arms pivot in a plane substantially parallel to the trailer bed and the back track arms pivot downwardly towards the trailer bed substantially in the plane of their respective hydraulic lifts. Pivotally connected to each forward arm 26 and 27 are a pair of hydraulic support jacks 30 and 31. The hydraulic support jacks 30 are pivotally mounted to the underside of the front ends of the forward arms 26 and 27 so that they may be pivoted upwardly. Likewise, the hydraulic support jacks 31 are pivotally mounted to the underside of the forward arm between the jack 30 and the stationary track portion.

Across the top of the trailer extends a telescopic carriage 32. The telescopic carriage has a `central pair of spaced longitudinally extending parallel arms 33 and 34 interconnected by a plurality of cross-structural supports 36. Connected to the front end of the central carriage arms 33 and 34 and telescopically mounted therein are front extension carriage arms 37 and 38 respectively. The front extension arms are interconnected by cross supports 39. Likewise, telescopically mounted to the rear end of the central carriage arms 33 and 34 are rear extension carriage arms 41 and 42 respectively interconnected -by cross supports 43. The rear carriage arms 41 and 42 are mounted so that they retract within their respective central arms 33 and 34.

The carriage has a top sheet covering 40 of light weight metal to give the entire trailer a closed trailer appearance and to aid in preventing contaminants from contacting the actuation means and wiring connected to the carriage.

Mounted to the ends of the rear and front carriage extension arms 37, 38, 41 and 42 are carriage rollers 44. The rollers 44 have suitable bearings for free-rotation thereof.

The ends of the trailer bed are provided with hollow enlarged rectangular portions 76 and 77. The front rectangular portions 76 have contained therein stabilizing arms 78 and 79 that extend from each end thereof and have hydraulic jacks 81 `connected to the ends thereof. The stabilizing arms retract within their respective end portion and extend outwardly perpendicular to the unloading side of the trailer and also loading side of the trailer. The stabilizing arms are utilized to place the trailer during unloading on a substantially horizontal plane as well as to stabilize the trailer during the unloading thereof and to compensate for any unevenness of the ground the trailer 1s on.

The trailer bed has a pair of spaced longitudinally extending parallel side channels and extending from the rear toward the front of the trailer bed. Slidably mounted between the side channels is a central core connected to the front end of the trailer bed and extending toward the rear of the trailer. The central core is made up of a plurality of interconnected beams. The side channels have a metal covering thereover.

A plurality of side channel Outrigger supports 89 and 91 are mounted to the side channels and extend substan` tially perpendicularly away therefrom. The outrigger supports 89 and 91 have telescopic arms 92 and 94 respectively connected thereto and the ends of the telescopic arms 92 and 94 have fastened thereto outrigger side support bars 93 and 96, respectively.

A plurality of core outriggers 97, having telescopic arms 98 extending towards the unloading side of the trailer and telescopic arms 99 extending towards the loading side of the trailer, are slidably mounted across the trailer bed core and extend substantially perpendicularly thereto. The outriggers 89, 91 and 97 are used t-o support the entire width of a preconstructed house unit and can accommodate house units of varying widths. Likewise, the core is slidable within the side channels to provide a means for lengthening the trailer bed to accommodate house units of varying lengths. Suitable means are utilized for extendinglthe trailer bed and for locking the trailer bed in its extended position.

ln the method of constructing a house, the tractor trailer having a preconstructed house unit 106 thereon is driven along side a constructed house foundation 101 substantially parallel to and outwardly spaced from the outside walls of the house foundation. Mounted to one pair of spaced parallel house foundation end walls near the front and rear of each wall is a foundation beam support 102 hving a flat top support surface 102a and a bottom stepped portion with a foundation engaging portion 102b and a shoulder portion 102C.

The foundation beam supports 102 have means 103 for connecting the beam supports to the inner surface of the end walls while the shoulder portion 102C thereof engages the outer surface of the end walls. Beam support jacks 104 are connected to the underside of the supports 102 and the ground adjacent the end walls to additionally help maintain the beams support top surfaces 102a on a substantially horizontal plane, during the unloading of the house unit onto the foundation.

The trailer stabilizing arms 78, 79, 83 and 84 are extended from their respective ends and their jacks 81 are adjusted to levelize the trailer. For unloading the preconstructed house unit 106, shown in dotted lines, the jacks 81 on the stabilizing arms 79 and 84 are preferably adjusted so that the trailer tips slightly towards the house foundation. The reason for this slight tip will become more apparent hereinafter.

The hydraulic lifts 16 and 17 are actuated to raise the trailer tracks 22 and 23 and the carriage 32 a predetermined distance above the house foundation.

Winches are actuated and the spreader bars are raised over the preconstructed house unit. The winch cables may be connected to eye hooks on trolleys which are located inside the core of the carriage. These trolleys inside the core of the carriage enable exact positioning of the spreader bars. The spreader bars 59 and 61 are then aligned and connected with two pairs of spaced lift rods 107 and 108 respectively. The lift rods extend through the preconstructed house unit and are attached to the inside side wall near the corners thereof. The lift rods have a top portion extending through the top of the house unit and hooked onto the bottom of the spreader barsadjacent the end portion thereof. The other end of the lift rod is suitably connected to the bottom of the house vunit by snatch blocks 105. The snatch blocks removably mount the lift rods to the house unit and the lift rods are preferably mounted in the house unit at the factory. The lift rods are positioned approximately near the four corners of the house unit to maintain continuous and even support of the house unit during unloading thereof and thereby eliminating undue stresses and strains on its structural beams.

As previously described, the trailer is pitched towards the foundation 101. When the locking means on the forward unloading track arms are unlocked, the weight of the track arms will swing themselves into substantially open position. Once in the open position, the locking means are renserted or relocked to lock the track arms 26 and 27 in open position substantially parallel with one another and aligned with the central track arms 24 and 25 respectively, as is illustrated in FIGURE 3. The hydraulic strut supports 30 and 31 are unhooked from the strut clamps on the bottom of the guide rails and the Strut supports lowered. The hydraulic struts are secured to the foundation beam support top surface 102 and the track 22 and 23 are levelized and secured as desired.

The preconstructed house unit 106 is raised above the level of the house foundation 101. When a suicient height is reached, the carriage 32 is moved along the guide tracks over the house foundation. When the carriage and accompanying house unit are over the far end of the foundation, the carriage is stopped and the preconstructed house unit is lowered onto the foundation Wall. When the house unit is on the foundation wall, the lift rods 107 and 108 are disconnected from the spreader bars and the spreader bars and carriage are returned to the trailer bed. One section of the sectional house is now positioned on the foundation wall. During the unloading of this one section 106 on the foundation Wall another ordinary loW bed trailer with the second house unit of a two sectional house was pulled alongside the loading side of the trailer 11. The back track arms 28 and 29 were raised and the supporting struts 31 were lowered to levelize the back guide track arms. The back track arms extended over the low bed trailer so that the carriage 32 can be positioned over the second house unit thereon. The second house unit also has lift bars that were mounted therein and when the carriage is brought over the back track arms, the lift bars are connetced to the spreader bars. The Winches on the spreader bars then may be actuated to lift the second house unit off the low bed trailer and the drive motors actuated to move the carriage and second house unit over the house unit trailer bed and over the house foundation to be united with the house unit already on the house foundation.

It is of course understood that the embodiments of the invention have been used for illustrative purposes only, and that modifications and variations in the present invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concept thereof and it will be understood that this application is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim: 1. In a method of constructing a house with a prefabricated house unit comprising:

positioning a self-contained tractor trailer having mounted thereon guide tracks and means for raising a house unit off the trailer bed with a house unit thereon adjacent and spaced from an outside wall of a foundation;

locating said tracks a predetermined distance above the height of the house unit, and lifts connected to the tracks to raise and lower said tracks; positioning the guide tracks into a predetermined position relative to said foundation, said guide tracks having a carriage movably connected thereto and said carriage being guided by said guide tracks;

connecting the house unit on said trailer to said carriage by attaching said house unit below said carriage to support said house unit;

raising the house unit off said trailer and above the foundation;

moving said house unit and carriage into position over the house foundation by moving said carriage along said guide tracks;

lowering said house unit onto said foundation; and

detaching the house unit from said carriage;

2. In a method according to claim 1 comprising:

attaching lift rods to the corners of the unit, said lift rods extending through the house unit and a distance above the unit; and

connecting the lift rods to the said lift means connected to said carriage, and said lift means being connected to said carriage to raise and lower the house unit while the carriage remains stationary.

3. In a method according to claim 2 comprising:

attaching said lift rods to a pair of spreader bars which are located between the house unit and said carriage.

4. In a method of constructing a house with a prefabricated house unit comprising:

positioning a self-contained tractor trailer having mounted thereon guide tracks and means for raising a house unit off the trailer bed with a house unit thereon adjacent and spaced from an outside wall of a foundation;

positioning the guide tracks into a predetermined position Irelative to said foundation, said guide tracks having a carriage movably connected thereto and said carriage being guided by said guide tracks;

connecting the house unit on said trailer to said carriage by supporting said house unit on said carriage;

raising and lowering said carriage by lifts mounted on the ends of the tractor trailer;

raising the house olf said trailer and above the foundation;

moving said house unit and carriage into position over the house foundation by moving said carriage along said guide tracks;

lowering said house unit onto said foundation; and

detaching the house unit from said carriage.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1920 Witzel 52-745 6/ 1942 Carpenter 52-79 1/1956 Bolt 52-122 11/1956 Noble 52126 3/ 1960 Wilkin.

10/1961 Martin.

5/ 1962 Neher.

2/1966 Torturro. 2/ 1966 Torturro. 2/ 1966 Torturro.

FOREIGN PATENTS 6/1951 France.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

